Why reconciliation failed in Ondo APC, by Abraham

A governorship aspirant during the controversial Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) primary, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU in Lagos on why the party failed to resolve its post-primary crisis. Excerpts:

What’s your assessment of the political situation in Ondo State?

There are many parties vying for the governor in Ondo State. The major parties are about two or three. The principal parties are the APC and the AD. So far, you will realise that, since the crisis of the primary election, the morale of the people has virtually gone down in the state. You cannot see the enthusiasm or expectation that a new government is coming. The people are confused. They are demoralised. Irrespective of what some people are saying. We need to stress the fact. We don’t know who will now deliver the state from the present bad economic situation. We pray the state will have an opportunity to elect a good leadership that will resolve its economic problems and transform the state. We need transformation in Ondo State.

What was responsible for the failure of reconciliation in your party? Is it that reconciliation was not contemplated or it was ignored?

Everything has a time. It was not contemplated. It was completely ignored. It was as if all they have done was a fait accompli. They have contempt for the people. Before the primary, the party was in good shape. The party was up and doing. Series of meetings were held with the aspirants, even before my endorsement by the National Leader. President Muhammadu Buhari convened a meeting with us. There was another meeting held between the aspirants and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. The SGF addressed us and asked us to maintain calm. After the primary, when the crisis erupted, it was expected that the party will call the aspirants together, especially the four or five aggrieved contestants. The party did not do that. We expected that the president would intervene, like the one the SGF did. It was not forthcoming. It was like they had done what they wanted to do and so, the process of reconciliation was ignored. When they insisted on their position, the people had made up their minds. Well, we have to thank the governor of Kebbi State. He is a gentlemen. One or two others intervened, but in a clandestine way. They believe that they had taken their own decision and it was left for you to team up with them. That is the spirit with which they have viewed it. That’s why they have not been able to make any move about reconciliation. For me, it is very simple. You must follow the process of reconciliation, either as is done in our culture and the religions of Christianity and Islam. The process are all well stated. If you follow them, there will be no problem. There will be no fight. There is nothing you gain by fighting. If we are united, it will be easy for us to win the battle. But, if we are disunited, the battle will not be easy for us to win. We must have a process of reconciliation, which we will call genuine reconciliation. This Ondo experience is a test for the party. This is the mechanism that is lost in the APC. As a loyal member, I have suggested that we needed reconciliation mechanism in the APC. I have faith in genuine reconciliation. In any case, genuine reconciliation must be based on truth and justice, not on fallacy, not on deceit, not on stealing, not on power ego. If you want reconciliation, you must be humble. We must come to the table with clean hands. We must correct the wrongs. These are the elements of reconciliation. It is the same in the country. But, a proper reconciliation must start at the local, to the state and national level. Today, there is no reconciliation in the country. That is why there is no focus on the proper way to progress. If you go to the National Assembly, it is not only divided along party lines, it is also divided along tribal lines. People see themselves as Southwesterners, Southeasterners, Northeasterners, Hausa, Yoruba. That’s not how to develop a country. This country is a single entity. It must be seen as a country where everybody will grow together. We are like rams locking our horns against one another, instead of being doves carrying the banner upwards. There is no reconciliation in the country because there is no truth; there is no justice. There is no way the country can prosper in the absence of righteousness. With all the money we have made from oil, with the human capital we have, the intelligent people we have, dynamic people, dynamic women in business, today, we are one of the poorest countries in the world. Our foundation is laid on unrighteousness, deceit, absence of truth, exploiting one another, greed, covetousness.

As the stage is set for the Ondo State governorship election, what is your advice to the voters?

With the situation on ground, I have made up my mind to vote according to my conscience. I will urge the people to vote according to their conscience. I will urge my supporters to vote according to the dictates of their conscience. And remember that everything you are doing, you are responsible to God. So, you must vote according to your conscience.

There is the rumour that the National Leader of your party has directed that you and other aggrieved aspirants should mobilise your supporters to vote for the AD governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke…

I have had so much about the rumour. But, what I will say is that I am not the spokesman for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, our National Leader. So, if anybody wants any information about that, he should try to see his Press Secretary. He will enlighten you on the issue.

How can Nigeria overcome its economic challenges?

I will advise the President to get key economic players with experience in place. We must behave in a way that will make foreign investors to have confidence in our economy. We must package local entrepreneurs and direct their energies and resources to the export drive. Holding on to the exchange rate is gone. There must be creative ideas to bring foreign capital into the country. The two most critical aspect being neglected should be developed. You must boost the capital market. You can’t continue to build infrastructure on loans. Our mortgage industry must be built.